Protective packing apparatus, and fastener means, for easily damaged objects



March 28, 1967 E. ENGLISH, JR 3,311,231

PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS AND FASTENER MEANS, FOR EASILY DAMAGEDOBJECTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18. 1965 INVENTOR. EDGAR ENGLISH JR.

March 28, 1967 E. ENGLISH, JR

PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS AND FASTENER MEANS FOR EASILY DAMAGEDOBJECTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1965 INVENTOR. EDGAR ENGLISH JR.

March 1967 E. ENGLISH, JR 3,311,231

PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS AND FASTENER MEANS, FOR EASILY DAMAGEDOBJECTS Filed Oct. 18. 1965 4 Sheecs$heet 5 24& 4/ 42 4/ 43 F 45INVENTOR EDGAR ENGLISH JR.

E. ENGLISH, JR

March 28, 19s? PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS AND FASTENER MEANS FOREASILY DAMAGED OBJECTS 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 18. 1965 INVENTOR EDGARENGLISH JR.

United States Patent 0 PRUTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS, AND

FASTENER MEANS, FOR EASHLY DAM- AGED OBJECTS Edgar English, J12,Edwards, Calif. R0. Box 169, Rosamond, Calif. 93560) Filed Oct. 18,1965, Ser. No. 497,366 10 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention comprisesa continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Ser. No.440,846, filed Mar. 18, 1965, and, generally speaking, the presentinvention relates to the packing and/ or packaging art (the two wordsbeing used interchangeably herein) and, more particularly, pertains toan improved protective packing and packaging apparatus and means forsubstantially completely protecting subsequent storage or shipment, andthis despite relatively rough handling which may be given to thepackaging apparatus or means itself. In other words, the novel apparatusof the present invention acts to very effectively isolate easily damagedobjects from undesirable exterior environmental conditions so as tomaximize the chances of the objects being in good condition whensubsequently removed from the protective packaging apparatus and meansof the present invention.

In one application of the present invention, it may be intended forprotecting easily damaged objects such as perishable food objects or thelike, although the invention is not specifically so limited in all formsthereof. In this particular application of the invention it will befound that the packaging of fruits and vegetables for shipment from apacking house or the like to a point of ultimate sale and utilizationthereof normally requires that the food objects travel a verysubstantial distance, which requires a considerable period of time. Itis during this period of time that the food objects may be very easilyinjured or damaged by bruising, crushing, or the like, during themultiple handling thereof which is required in first loading a trunk orrailroad car with the food objects (usually in various different typesof prior art containers) and then in subsequently removing same from thetruck or railroad car when a desired destination is reached. Sometimesthis multiple handling occurs several times before a final destinationis reached and this greatly increases the chances of the easily bruisedor crushed food objects eing injured to a degree such that when they arefinally ready for display and sale to a retail purchaser, severe bruisesor the like, or other visibly observable damage may have occurred to thefood objects, which will render them virtually unsalable.

Some degree of deterioration-minimization is now accomplished withrespect to such food objects by refrig erating the vehicles transportingsame. However, this only slows down rotting, bruising, and crushingdamage because of the fact that lowered temperatures slow down the rateof natural decay and decomposition processes.

However, the damage caused by bruising and crushing, which results fromlack of physical protection for the easily damaged food objects, canonly be provided by the type of packaging employed, and at the presenttime prior art packaging has serious disadvantages which may be roughlysaid to fall into two different categories as briefiy describedhereinbelow.

First, there is the type of prior art packaging for such easily damagedfood objects which consists of very sturdy, structurally strong, outercontainers often provided with compressible padding or filler materialof one kind or another therein around each of a plurality of easilydamaged food objects. In some cases, inner structural reinforcing atvarious locations and/ or levels throughout such a structurally strongouter container of fairly substantial size may be provided. Packagingand containers in this category may be said to be reasonably etfectivefor protecting such perishable food objects, or the like, from crushingand bruising but are quite expensive and, additionally, cannot be reusedvery many times without substantial breakage and, therefore, substantialreplacement of major portions thereof, which further adds to theover-all cost of this type package or container.

The second category of the prior art containers and packages forperishable food objects referred to above may be said to be relativelyinexpensive but to be also very ineffective from the standpoint ofadequately protecting such perishable food objects from bruising andcrushing injuries or the like. This category includes containers such asbags, and the like, large volume relatively non-stiff containers ofvarious kinds, bulk shipment, and, in general, arrangements wherein theperishable food objects are not encased in a rigid structurally strongmanner by a very highly protective outer container or package which willvery substantially isolate the inner perishable food objects from allexterior impact and loading forces which the container may receive.

The novel protective packaging apparatus and means of the presentinvention substantially completely eliminates and overcomes thedisadvantages of both of the above-mentioned prior art types ofpackaging and container arrangements for such perishable food objects Inother Words, the novel packaging apparatus and means of the presentinvention provides very positive and highly effective protection fromcrushing, bruising, or the like, for such perishable food objects in amanner even superior to the first above-mentioned prior art type ofpackages and containers and yet does so in a manner which is extremelyinexpensive.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present inventionto provide novel protective packaging apparatus and/or means for one ormore easily damaged objects and adapted to very positively isolate saidone or more objects from exterior environmental conditions, withparticular reference to exterior impact and loading forces applied tothe packaging apparatus and also with respect to vibratory forcesapplied thereto.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide packingapparatus and means of the character referred to in the preceding objectwhich additionally includes compressible pad means (at least two and, incertain cases, a substantially greater number thereof) which are placedin aligned registration and fastened in said relationship with theeasily damaged objects, or perishable food objects, positioned betweensaid compressible pad means in mating half recess portions, thusefiectively isolating and separating each easily damaged object of aplurality thereof from each other and, in one preferred exemplary form,being of a nature such as to provide a large amount of hysteretic lossesand, therefore, optimum damping for the minimization of any possiblevibration-caused damage to said easily damaged objects positionedtherein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide packingapparatus and/or means of the character referred to above, wherein thecompressible pad means are formed of expanded-cell foam type materialwhich not only comprises a very effective vibration isolator and shockdamage preventer but which may also provide, in those forms of theinvention where such is desired, highefficiency thermal insulating meanswhereby to provide thermal isolation in addition to mechanical isolationto said easily damaged objects.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide packagingapparatus and means of the character referred to above, intendedprimarily for packaging and protecting from deleterious environmentalconditions easily damaged objects comprising perishable food objects orthe like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to in the preceding object, provided withappropriately positioned ventilation aperture means for facilitatingheat transfer and/ or ventilation for use in packaging those forms ofperishable food objects wherein decay will be minimized by an initialquick chilling and/or a measure of ventilation.

It is a further object to provide apparatus of the character referred tohereinabove which is provided with fastening and locking means foreffective fastening the compressible pad means together in alignedregistration relationship with respect to each other with the matingrecess means portions in aligned opposed recess meansdeliningrelationship.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to in the preceding object wherein the fasteningand locking means comprises tensile member fastening and locking means,such as belt and buckle members, tape members, and various functionalequivalents thereof adapted to be placed in surrounding and encompassingrelationship with respect to the plurality of compressible pad meanscomprising the container means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to in the preceding object wherein said fasteningand locking means comprises resilient clip means adapted to resilientlyand controllably rcmovably slip over and engage opposite outsideexterior surface portions of the plurality of compressible pad meanscomprising said container means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to in the third preceding object wherein saidfastening and locking means comprises a plurality of staple membersfirmiy engaging and effectively interconnecting opposite adjacent edgeportions of said plurality of compressible pad means comprising saidcontainer means.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to herein wherein each of the compressible padmeans is vacuum formed of compressible expanded-cell type of foammaterial into a configuration having a surrounding edge flange lying onwhat may be considered as substantially a medial plane when joined tothe surrounding edge flange of an adjacent similar but positionallyreversed compressible pad means; said vacuum formed compressible padmeans having both exteriorly and interiorly formed portions comprisingand defining said plurality of recess means portions and also havingexterior contact surface means effectively defining portions of a flatcontact surface plane adapted to contact either an auxiliary supportingsurface such as an underlying floor or the like or adapted to contactcorresponding contact surface means of an adjacent container meanseither positioned thereunder or thereover.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to in the preceding object including positioningmeans normally engaging corresponding portions of the oppositecompressible pad means (and, in certain cases, engaging each other) formounting each of said compressible pad means in properly positioned and,in certain cases, properly supported relationship with respect to eachother when in said aligned registration relationship with all of saidmating recess means portions in said opposed recess meansdefiningrelationship.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to in the second preceding object wherein thesurrounding edge flange referred to therein may effectively comprisemerely an edge which does not extend horizontally in said substantiallymedial plane to an extent greater than the wall thickness thereof and,furthermore, in certain forms of the invention the two verticallyadjacent compressible pad means may have surrounding edge flange meansof an effectively male and female type adapted to mate vertically byhaving said surrounding edge flange means of one of said compressiblepad means portions vertically insert into the closely outwardly adjacentand oppositely vertically directed surrounding edge flange means of theother of said pair of mating compressible pad means to an extent limitedby an interior stop, abutment, or shoulder means.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide packagingapparatus of the character referred to herein wherein each pair ofvertically adjacent mating compressible pad means may define only onerecess means (or a small number of interior recess means) each adaptedto carry a perishable food object or other easily damaged object thereinand, in certain versions of this form of the invention, one or both ofsaid compressible pad means (or appropriate viewing portions thereof)may be made of a light-transmissive plastic material so that aprospective purchaser or user of the protected perishable food object orother article within the protective packaging apparatus may view samefrom the exterior of the packaging apparatus prior to opening same, thusmaking it possible to evaluate the condition of the object and whetheror not the prospective purchaser or user finds the condition of theobject satisfactory for purchase and/ or use. Said light-transmissiveupper or lower compressible pad means may still be of foam material,although this tends to interfere with the viewing of the protected foodobjects and, in some cases, this slight disadvantage may be overcome byhaving just a portion vertically adjacent to the corresponding interiorrecess or recess means of the upper or lower compressible pad meansprovided with a non-foamed portion of transparent material whereby toform what might be termed one or more viewing windows for viewing theprotected interiorly contained food object or objects. In other versionsof this form of the invention, it may be that the lower compressible padmeans may be made of the foamed plastic material while the upper one maybe of non-foamed transparent plastic material of sufficient rigidity soas to still provide substantial protection for the interiorly containedfood object, or plurality of food objects, while still allowing perfectvisibility thereof through the transparent top pad means (which,incidentally, in this form of the invention is not as compressible asthe lower pad means). Of course, this form of the invention may also beapplied to various different types of easily damaged objects other thanperishable food objects but which are of any type requiring suchprotection prior to sale and/ or use thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character referred to in the preceding object in particular (but thehereinbelow-described feature may also be applied to any of the otherforms of the invention) wherein the surrounding edge flange or edgeportion of the mating compressible pad means may be effectivelyhermetically sealed. In the case of easily damaged food objects, thismay be for preventing deterioration of same within the packaging means,and this may be further enhanced by sterilization of the food object orobjects and the container in any suitable manner so that the food objector objects contained within the hermetically edgesealed packaging meanswill remain in perfect condition for long periods of time and will notbegin to deteriorate until the packaging means is opened. Since thepackaging means is preferably made of an expanded-cell type of foammaterial, such a hermetically sealed form of the packaging meansnormally requires that the expandedcell type of foam material have asealed surface or skin which is impervious to the passage ofdecay-causing organisms therethrough, and this type of packaging meansadapted to be hermetically sealed and sterilized requires that theplastic material either be made of a high-temperature-resistant plasticmaterial, if the sterilization is to be accomplished by heat, or that itbe made of a chemical-resistant plastic material, in case thesterilization is to be accomplished chemically. However, it should benoted that sterilization by subjecting the packaging means and/ or theperishable food objects to electrostatic fields and/or to radiation doesnot affect in an undesirable way most types of foam plastic materialsgenerally available and this is also true of sterilization through theuse of antibiotic additive agents, such as various molds and/ or moldextracts of the penicillin or the like types; or various othersterilization means may be employed. Incidentally, it should be notedthat the edge sealing may be by adhesive means, cohesive means,mechanical fastening means, or the like. However, one effective form ofedge sealing of vertically adjacent compressible pad means may beprovided by heat sealing the plastic material by conventional heatsealing means. Of course, this version of the invention may protecteasily damaged objects other than perishable food objects, such asobjects which require protection from moisture, oxygen, or any othercontaminants prior to use.

It is a further object to provide means and method for manufacturingpackaging apparatus of any of the various types referred to herein andwhich includes compo-site molds including an edge mold portion adaptedto form and shape the complete surrounding edge portion of the variouscompressible pad means referred to herein (and which may be of variousdifferent lateral, longitudinal, and/or depth dimensions); saidcomposite mold means further including central insert panel mold meansadapted to be interchangeably placed within, and in cooperativerelationship with respect to, the previously-mentioned edge mold portionfor molding a desired central panel portion of the correspondingintegral compressible pad means having a desired type, shape, size, andnumber of recess means half portions formed therein. The edge mold meansmay be provided with height or depth modifying means for additionthereto for effectively increasing the height of the edge portion of thecompressible pad means molded or formed thereby. It will be understoodthat such a composite mold means makes it possible to produce a greatvariety of different sizes, shapes, and types of compressible pad meanswith a minimum mold, die, tooling, and manufacturing cost, insofar ascapital investment is concerned and comprises a very flexiblemanufacturing apparatus and method for producing a great variety ofdifferent types, sizes, and versions of the compressible pad means andresulting packaging means of the present invention.

It is a further object to provide packaging apparatus and/or meanshaving the advantages referred to herein and including the featuresreferred to herein, generically and/or specifically, and individually orin combination, and which is of extremely simple inexpensiveconstruction adapted for large scale mass manufacture at very low costwhereby to be conducive to widespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followshereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but notspecifically limiting, the present invention), and said objects will beapparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of thedetailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention,several exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in thehereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying three sheets ofdrawings and are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a reduced-size, three-dimensional view illustrating the lowercompressible pad means and the intervening or middle compressiblepad'means of one exemplary three-pad form of the invention. The purposeof the open relationship of the bottom and intervening or middlecompressible pad means in this view is to clearly show the details ofthe upper surface of the lower compressible pad means and the lowersurface of the intervening or middle compressible pad means, and thealignment and registration means, prior to the positioning of perishablefood objects, such as avocados, in the mating half recess portions andprior to vertical superimposition of the intervening or middlecompressible pad means on the bottom compressible pad means. In otherwords, this view is a pre-assembly fragmentary view of the completethree-pad form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional view very similar to FIG. 1, althoughviewed from a very slightly different vantage point than FIG. 1 and alsodrawn to a very slightly larger scale than FIG. 1. Additionally, itshould be noted that the opened-up intervening or middle compressiblepad means of FIG. 1 has now been swung downwardly into a substantiallysuperimposed but very slightly vertically upwardly spaced immediatelypre-assembly relationship with respect to the lower compressible padmeans and, additionally, the third or upper compressible pad means (notshown in FIG. 1) is shown in FIG. 2 in an opened-up preassemblyrelationship with respect to the top surface of the intervening ormiddle compressible pad means. This arrangement is for the purpose ofclearly disclosing all details of the top surface of the intervening ormiddle compressible pad means and bottom surface of the uppercompressible pad means and the corresponding alignment and registrationmeans prior to being placed in vertically assembled relationship withperishable food objects, such as avocados or the like, in the recessmeans defined by the mating half recess portions, and in a closed,fastened, and locked relationship such as is shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view, generally similar to FIGS. 1 and 2,but shows the three compressible pad means in fully verticallyassembled, fastened, and locked relationship suitable for shipment orstorage, usually with the recess means therein carrying correspondingavocados or other perishable food objects, although it is possible thatthe containers might be shipped or stored empty in the assembled closedrelationship shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view taken generally in thedirection of the arrows 44 of FIG. 2, and illustrates the interiordetail of a representative pair of the mating recess means half portionsand of the projecting fingers carried therein which mount the corresponding avocados, or other perishable food objects, in slightlyspaced relationship with respect to the walls of the recess means so asto provide an effective air space therearound.

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view, takensubstantially on a representative plane such as is indicated by thearrows 5-5 of FIG. 4, and is merely for the purpose of illustrating thefact that the material of the plurality of compressible pad meanspreferably comprises a compressible expanded-cell type of foam material,such as polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, or the like, although notspecifically so limited, which is sufficiently rigid to provide positiveprotection for the interiorly contained easily damaged food objects,such as avocados or the like, and, therefore, may be said to provideeffective vibration and shock isolation means and which, in certainforms of the invention (where such is desired), may also effectivelycomprise high-efficiency thermal insulating means, although notspecifically so limited in all forms of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the three vertically assembledcompressible pad means of FIG. 2 after veItical superimposition andassembly thereof, but prior to the locking and fastening thereof withtensile member belt means, tape means, or the like, as shown in FIG. 3,and is taken substantially on a plane such as that indicated by thearrows 66 of FIG. 2. However, it should be clearly noted that, forpurposes of drawing simplification and clarity, no perishable foodobjects, such 7 as avocados or the like, are shown in the recess meansillustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is an opened-up view showing, in plan view, the top surface of abottom compressible pad means of a modification of the invention andshowing a plan view of the opened-up bottom surface of a modifiedintervening or middle compressible pad means of this modified form ofthe invention. In other words, this view shows essentially the sameportions of a bottom compressible -pad means and intervening or middlecompressible pad means as shown in FIG. 1, although it will be noticedthat in the showing of FIG. 7 all of the recess means half portions areoppositely directed from those of FIG. 1, which will have the effect ofcausing all of the lower recess means defined thereby to be oppositelydirected from the upper recess means of this form of the invention,which are identical to those clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 of the firstform of the invention, thus producing a modified arrangement of the typebest exemplified by comparing FIG. 9 of this modified form of theinvention with the corresponding view comprising FIG. 6 of the firstform of the invention.

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view, taken substantially in the directionof the arrows 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the fully assembled modified form ofthe invention of FIGS. 7 and 8 but prior to fastening and locking sametogether, and with no perishable food objects, such as avocados, beingpositioned in the recess means for reasons of drawing clarity andsimplification. This view of the assembled three compressible pad layersof the modified form of the invention is taken substantially on a planesuch as that indicated by the arrows 99 of FIG. 7 and substantiallycorresponds to the plane of the sectional view comprising FIG. 6 of thefirst form of the invention and clearly shows the positionally reversedrelationship of upper and lower rows of recess means and the reductionin the vertical thickness of the intervening or middle compressible padmeans made possible thereby.

FIG. l is a reduced-size, three-dimensional view, generally similar toFIG. 3, but illustrates a two-layer arrangement of the first form of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. l-6, which merely has had the middle orintervening compressible pad means removed so that the upper and lowercompressible pad means are placed in direct vertical superimposition andcontact for similarly defining half as many recess means as previouslyillustrated in the first form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-6. Alsofor purposes of broadening the scope of the invention, this modifiedarrangement is shown with a slightly modified form of fastening andlocking means.

FIG. 11 is a view very similar to FIG. 6, but illustrates a furthermodification of the invention, which is shown in a 90 degree rotatedposition from the showing of FIG. 7 for drawing space-saving reasons.

FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view of the vertically assembled padmeans of FIG. 11 on a plane such as 1212 of FIG. 11 and is a viewgenerally similar to the lower portion of FIG. 6, with recessesreversed.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, central plane, sectional view ofa very slight modification of the form of the invention illustrated inFIG. wherein a different type of fastening and locking means isemployed. It will be noted that central portions of the container meansbetween the opposite end portions thereof are broken away for drawingspace saving reasons.

FIG. 14 is a view very similar to FIG. 13 and again illustrates a veryslight modification of the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 10wherein a different type of fastening and locking means from that shownin FIG. 10 or that shown in FIG. 13, is shown.

FIG. 15 is a view of a modified form of the invention which may havecompressible pad means of any desired number of layers, but which, forpurposes of simplicity, is shown as comprising a two-layer formgenerally similar to that shown in FIG. 10, for example, although of amodified form, and shows the two modified type compressible pad means inpictorial, three-dimensional open relationship in a manner generallysimilar to the showing of FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the modified form of the inventionshown in FIG. 15, with the two compressible pad means moved intosuperimposed vertically aligned relationship and with the plane of theview being that indicated by the arrows 1616 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a view very similar to FIG. 13, but comprises a fragmentary,longitudinal, central plane, sectional view of the modified form of theinvention shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 and clearly illustrates a modifiedtype of fastening and locking means therefor which may be mounted at theends or at the sides, or both, of this modified form of the invention.

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of FIG. 17 butillustrates a further modification of the type of fastening and lockingmeans which also may be carried by any of the opposed surrounding edgefiange portions as desired and needed.

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary view generally similar to the left portion ofFIG. 17 but shows a further slight modification of the type of fasteningmeans employed.

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary view generally similar to a portion of FIG. 16and fragmentarily illustrates a further modification of the invention.

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 20 but illustrates aslight variation thereof.

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary view illustrating a further modification of theinvention wherein the upper mating portion of the packaging means ismade of a transparent plastic material so that the perishable foodobject, or other easily damaged object, adapted to be stored in therecess means, can be viewed through the top portion of the containermeans. The edges of the container means are shown as being hermeticallysealed in this modification of the invention.

FIG. 23 is a view similar to FIG. 22 but illustrating a variation of thetop mating portion of the container means wherein it is adapted to beformed of the compressible plastic foam means but wherein a portionthereof at the top of the interior recess means is effectively made ofnon-foamed and transparent plastic material whereby to effectivelycomprise viewing window means to facilitate viewing the perishable foodobject contained within the recess means.

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary, sectional view, of a somewhat diagrammatic andschematic nature and with many associated portions of the cooperatingapparatus removed for reasons of drawing simplicity and clarity, showinga typical composite lower mold means having interchangeable (and, insome forms, controllably elevatable) outer edge mold portions and acontrollably interchangeable central panel mold portion which is adaptedfor producing an integral compressible pad means having a desired type,number, and size of recess means formed therein and also having the edgeportion of said formed compressible pad means of desired length, width,and height.

FIG. 25 is another fragmentary, sectional view illustrating theprovision of a height or depth modifying additional element to the outeror edge mold portion of the composite mold means shown in FIG. 24.

' Generally speaking, the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 may be said to comprise container means, suchas is generally designated at 21, which is shown as being substantiallyrectangular as seen in plan view, although the invention is notspecifically so limited.

The container means 21 effectively comprises at least twoarea-coextensive compressible pad means having at least two (and usuallya similar plurality of) opposed mating aligned recess means halfportions formed therein for aligned juxtaposition whereby to effectivelydefine 9 therebetween full recess means (usually a plurality thereof)adapted to receive, support, and protect therein one or morecorresponding easily damaged objects, such as perishable food objects orthe like, although not specifically so limited in all forms of theinvention.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. l6,the container means 21 effectively comprises three such area-coextensiveinsulating pad means which are adapted to be placed in verticallyadjacent superimposed juxtaposition with respect to each other wherebyto align the corresponding plurality of recess means half portions in amanner such as to define two vertically spaced horizontal layers, eachcomprising a plurality (twenty-one in the example illustrated) fullrecess means adapted to receive perishable food objects, such asavocados, pears, or the like, therein in a highly protective manner whenthe three compressible pad means are assembled therearound in a fullyassembled, fastened, and locked relationship effectively comprising thecomplete container means 21, as best shown in FIG. 3.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, the threearea-coextensive compressible pad means are designated by the referencecharacters 22L, 22M, and 22U, and comprise, respectively, a lower orlowermost compressible pad, a middle or intervening compressible pad,and an upper or top compressible pad.

It will be noted that the upper surface 23 of the lower pad 22L isprovided with a plurality of lower recess means half portions 24H formedtherein, while the corresponding bottom or lower surface 25 of themiddle or intervening compressible pad means 22M is provided with acorrespondingly positioned plurality of downwardly facing recess meanshalf portions 24H identical to the upwardly facing recess means halfportions 24H carried by the lower compressible pad means 22L and adaptedto be placed in aligned registration or opposition thereto whenassembled, in the manner best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, whereby to definethe lower layer plurality (twenty-one in the example illustrated) offull or complete recess means, each of which is generally designated bythe reference character 24R in FIG. 6.

Similarly, it should be noted that the upper surface 26 of the middle orintervening compressible pad means 22M is provided with a plurality(twenty-one in the example illustrated) of upwardly facing recess meanshalf portions 27H substantially completely identical to thecorresponding plurality of upwardly facing recess means half portions24H carried by the upper surface 23 of the lower compressible pad means22L and similarly positioned. Also, it should be noted that the bottomor lowermost surface 28 of the upper or top compressible pad means 22Uis provided with a similar plurality (twenty-one in the exampleillustrated) of downwardly facing recess means half portions 27Hidentical to (but positioned in opposition to) the previously mentionedplurality of upwardly facing recess means half portions 27H carried bythe upper surface 26 of the middle or intervening compressible pad means22M and adapted to be placed in aligned registration and superimposedthereover, as is best shown in FIG. 6, whereby to'define a correspondingupper layer plurality (twenty-one in the example illustrated) of wholeor full recess means, as generally designated by the reference character27R in FIG. 6.

All three of the compressible pad means 22L, 22M, and 22U are adapted tobe properly vertically aligned in effective vertical registrationrelative to each other, such as is perhaps best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6,by controllably disengageable alignment and registration means adaptedto normally matingly engage each other for maintaining said threecompressible pad means in the proper vertical aligned superimposedrelationship such as to properly align all of the opposed recess meanshalf portions defining both the upper layer of the full recess means 27Rand the lower layer of full recess means 24R, best shown in FIG. 6.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, said alignmentand registration means are generally designated at 29 and may be said tocomprise male projection elements, such as shown at 29M, andcorresponding cooperable female reception elements, such as designatedat 29F, carried by opposed adjacent parts of the adjacent surfaces ofthe compressible pad portions 22L, 22M, and 22U when in aligned verticalregistration with respect to each other, such as is clearly shown inFIGS. 3 and 5. In other words, each interface junction plane, such asthe lower interface junction plane defined by the surfaces 23 and 25 andthe upper interface junction plane defined by the surfaces 26 and 28, isprovided at a plurality of locations with corresponding matingvertically aligned ones of said male projection elements and femalereception elements 29M and 29F for engagement when all three of saidcompressible pad means 22L, 22M, and 22U are vertically superimposed invertical alignment and registration with each other, such as is clearlyshown in FIGS. 3 and 6, and will prevent said compressible pad meansfrom inadvertently getting out of such alignment.

After perishable food objects such as avocados, pears, or the like,although not specifically so limited, are packed in the opposite recessmeans half portions 24H and 271-1, and the three compressible pad means22L, 22M, and 22U are placed in vertical superimposition with thealignment and registration means 29 engaged, suitable fastening andlocking means may be employed for firmly fastening and locking thevertically stacked assembly of said three compressible pad means 22L,22M, and 22U together into an effectively unitary structure, comprisingthe container means generally designated at 21, which is then suitablefor shipment or storage and which will provide very effective protectionfor such perishable food objects or the like until they are laterremoved from within the container means 21.

While various types of fastening and locking means may be employedwithin the broad scope of the present invention, the exemplary firstform of the invention illustrates one typical type of such fastening andlocking means as generally comprising tensile member means, such asindicated at 31, adapted to be controllably removably placed in tightencompassing relationship around the container means 21 and then adaptedto he retained in said tight encompassing relationship during storageand/ or shipment thereof until such time as it is later removed fordisassembly of the container means 21 and removal of the perishable foodobjects packed therein.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, said tensilemember type fastening and locking means 31 takes the form of a pair ofstrap or webbing type belt members 32 adapted to be placed around theassembled container means 21 in two corresponding fastening groove meansG and then to be drawn into very tight encompassing relationship andlocked and fastened in such relationship by the buckle type fastenermeans 33, although not specifically so limited. However, it should beclearly noted that tape means or various other fastening means, eitherin the form of two fastening strips as shown in FIG. 3, or in otherarrangements ranging from one such strip up to any desired numberthereof and which may be directed similarly to the showing of FIG. 3 orin any other manner with respect to the container means 21, may beemployed in lieu of the specific exemplary showing of FIG. 3, and alsovarious other types of fastening means may be employed in lieu thereof.

It should be noted that, in the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated, each of the recess means half portions 24H and 27H isprovided with a plurality of inwardly projecting compressible mountingand spacing finger means 34, such as are best shown in FIGS. 4 and 6,which are adapted to contact and support corresponding portions of aneasily damaged object, or perishable food object such as an avocado orthe like, out of contact with the remaining walls of the correspondingrecess means whereby to provide a very substantial effective air spacetherearound for ventilation purposes. Such ventilation is furtherenhanced by the provision of ventilation aperture means interconnectingthe recess means 24H and 271-1 with the exterior of the completecontainer means 21, thus providing a complete system of ventilationaround the perishable food objects stored within the recess means 24Rand 27R, where this is desirable. In the exemplary first form of theinvention illustrated, said ventilation aperture means is designated at35 and comprises a plurality (twelve in the exemplary first formillustrated) of longitudinal grooves in each of the mating or junctionsurfaces of the three compressible pad means, such as the surfaces 23,25, 26 and 28, and which together define the complete plurality (six inthe exemplary form illustrated) of ventilation apertures communicatingwith ambient atmosphere at opposite ends of the assembled containermeans 21, as is perhaps best shown with respect to one representativeend thereof in FIG. 3.

It should be noted that where easily damaged objects are to be packedand protected by the apparatus of the present invention and are of atype other than perishable food objects (which, obviously, therefore,require no ventilation) or of a type of perishable food object which isbetter preserved and protected by not having ventilation, either theplurality of mounting and spacing finger means 34 or the plurality ofventilation aperture means 35, or both, may be eliminated.

FIG. 5 illustrates the fact that, in the preferred exemplary first formof the invention illustrated, the three compressible pad means 22L, 22M,and 22U are preferably made of an expanded-cell foam-type material, suchas polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, or the like, although notspecifically so limited, which has sufiicient rigidity to provide properexterior protection for easily damaged objects placed within the recessmeans 24R and 27R and which may be said to comprise a very effectiveshock and vibration isolator and, in certain cases, may also effectivelycomprise an effective thermal insulator and isolator also, where such isdesirable for the purpose of the present invention. However, it shouldbe clearly noted that the invention is not specifically limited toemploying material comprising a thermal insulator or isolator since thisis not necessary in all forms of the inventionparticularly where theeasily damaged objects to be protected by the invention are not of atype which is damaged or injured in any manner by temperature changes.

Preferably, the cellular type material shown in representativecross-sectional form in FIG. 5 may be of a non-connected cell type whichhas certain decided advantages from the standpoint of rigidity, shockand vibration isolation and even thermal insulation and isolation.However, it should be noted that, in some forms of the invention,communicating cell type of materials may be employed. In any case, itshould be noted that, if desired, the material may be of a type havingvery pronounced hysteretic loss characteristics which, thus, providevery effective damping of vibration and enhances the degree ofprotection provided to easily damaged objects carried within the recessmeans 24R and 27R. This type of hysteretic loss characteristics may beprovided by reason of the nature of the material itself, by reason ofthe physical structure which allows interior physical frictional lossesto occur as a result of compres sion and expansion, and/ or may furtherbe enhanced by the use of additives having such hysteretic losscharacteristics, to the foam-like cellular material such as is shown inone representative exemplary form in FIG. 5.

It should be noted that the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 is also effectively provided with recessedengagement means (usually hand engagement means) such as generallydesignated at 36. It will be noted that, in the exemplary first form ofthe invention illustrated, said hand engagement means 36 comprises fourinclined recess means at opposite top and bottom ends of the completeassembled container means 21 so arranged as to effectively provide anend access opening for a persons hand, or for any other appropriatelifting tool, even when the bottom of the complete container means 21 isresting upon a fiat horizontal underlying supporting surface. Thisfacilitates lifting one or more such stacked containers 21 from ahorizontal underlying surface, or lifting one or more upper containermeans 21 from underlying container means 21 when they are initially inthe form of a vertical stack of a plurality of such container means 21.

While the hand engagement means 36 provides a convenient and effectiveform of hand engagement means, it should be noted that the presentinvention also contemplates various modifications thereof and variousother forms thereof and, in certain forms of the invention, they may bedispensed with entirely.

Incidentally, it should be noted that the foam material of thecompressible pad means 22L, 22M, and 22U may effectively have any one orall of the surfaces thereof sealed, if desired, in any of a number ofdifferent ways. For example, such a sealed surface may be provided byeffective heat sealing and/or compressing the exterior of such foammaterial, by applying and sealingly joining thereto a thin sheet panelof sealing material, or otherwise.

FIGS. 79 illustrate an arrangement very similar to the first form of theinvention, with the exception of the fact that the lower layer of recessmeans 24R are positionally reversed from those designated at 24R of thefirst form of the invention. Because of the similarities, similar partsare designated by similar reference characters, singly primed, however.In this modification, the upper compressible pad means 22U and the uppersurface 26 of the intervening or middle compressible pad means 22M areidentical to those of the first form of the invention designated at 22U,26, and 22M, respectively, and all similar portions of this modifiedform of the invention are exactly the same and, of course, identical tothe corresponding parts of the first form of the invention and,therefore, will not again be described at this point.

The change or modification of this form of the invention begins to occurat the lower surface 25' of the middle or intervening compressible padmeans 22M and all portions therebelow when the apparatus is in fullyvertically assembled relationship such as is shown in FIG. 9. It will benoted that said bottom surface 25 of the intervening or middlecompressible pad means 22M is positionally reversed degrees around itscenter point from the corresponding bottom surface 25 of the middle pad22M of the first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. l-6 anddescribed in great detail hereinbefore. This, of course, positionallyreverses the direction of each recess means half portion 24H and also ofeach of the registration means portions 29 from the arrangement of thefirst form of the invention.

The lower compressible pad means 22L of this modification of theinvention is precisely the same as the lower compressible pad means 22Lof the previously described first form of the invention, but it is alsopositionally reversed around its center 180 degrees so as to be suitablefor mating engagement of each of the lower recess means half portions24H thereof with respect to the corresponding recess means half portions24H of the positionally reversed bottom surface 25 of the modifiedmiddle or intervening compressible pad means 22M. This is also true withrespect to the registration means portions 29.

Thus, it will readily be understood that the three compressible padmeans in this modification of the invention are assembled in verticallysuperimposed relationship substantially the same as that describedhereinbefore in detail in connection with the first form of theinvention '5 illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, and the only difference is thefact that the lower layer of full or complete recess means 24R (bestillustrated in FIG. 9) are positionally reversed from the correspondinglower layer of full or complete recess means 24R of the first form ofthe invention, as is perhaps best shown in FIG. 6. This provides anoptimum utilization of vertical space and allows the modified middle orintervening compressibe pad means 22M to be somewhat thinner in thismodification of the invention (as shown in FIG. 9) than the pad 22M ofthe first form of the invention (as shown in FIG. 6). Otherwise, thismodification is similar to the first form, and no further description isthought necessary.

FIG. 10 is a reduced-size, three-dimensional view quite similar to FIG.3 of the first form of the invention and, in fact, merely comprises theupper and lower compressible pad means 22U and 22L of FIG. 3 directlyjoined together in face-to-face opposition without having theintermediate or middle compressible pad means 22M of the first form ofthe invention therebetween, as is clearly shown in FIG. 3. In otherwords, FIG. 10 illustrates a modified container means generallydesignated by the reference numeral 21" which has only an uppercompressible pad means 22" and a lower compressible pad means 22L" and,thus, effectively defines only a single layer of recess meanscorresponding to either the upper layer of such recess means 27R or thelower layer of recess means 24R of the first form of the invention, asis perhaps best shown in FIG. 6.

Despite the fact that the upper compressible pad means 22U" and thelower compressible pad means 22L" of FIG. 10 are exactly the same as thecorresponding upper and lower compressible pad means 2211 and 22L of thefirst form of the invention, nevertheless, they are designated by thesame reference numerals, doubly primed, however, in the case of FIG. 10,since together they comprise the slightly modified two-pad containermeans 21" of this modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 10. Also,for purposes of variety, the tensile member fastening means 31 of thisform of the invention is slightly modified from the first form of theinvention (although, if desired, it may employ the same type of tensilemember fastening and locking means as that shown at 31 in the first formof the invention) and comprises wraparound tape type fastening stripmeans 32" which does not have fastening buckles or the like, such asshown at 33 in the first form of the invention. therwise, this modifiedform of the invention is similar to the first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 and described in detail hereinbefore.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are views generally similar in appearance to FIG. 7 andthe bottom half of FIG. 6, respectively, but illustrate a two-padversion of the invention similar in many ways to the form shown in FIG.10, but which is interiorly provided with a further modification withrespect to the opposed surfaces 23" and 23 which are effectivelyslightly recessed inside of corresponding surrounding upwardly directedand downwardly directed abuttable edge portions 37 and 38 which will, ofcourse, provide a much larger area interior ventilation meanscoextensive with substantial areas of the opposed surfaces 23" and 28and comprising inner enlargements of the opposite end ventilationapertures 35" adapted to enhanceand facilitate the circulation of airaround perishable fruit or the like, within the recess means 24R definedby the mating lower and upper recess means half portions 24R" and 27H'when the upper and lower compressible pad means 22U' and ZZL are placedin vertically superimposed aligned registration and are fastened in suchrelationship in a manner similar to the showing of FIG. 10.

Another difference of the modified form of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12 is the fact that the alignment and registration meansgenerally designated at 2? is slightly different from that shown at 29of the fi-rst form of the invention and is so arranged as to not onlyact for the alignment and registration purposes previously described inconnection with the structure shown at 21 in the first form of theinvention, but also effectively comprises vertical contact and supportmeans for maintaining the proper vertical spacing of the upper and lowercompressible pad means 22U and ZZL across the central area parts thereofpositioned inwardly of the two abutting edge flanges 37 and 38. Theremainder of this modified form of the invention is similar to the firstform of the invention previously described and illustrated except thatit is of the two-pad type exteriorly illustrated in FIG. 10 andpreviously described. However, it should be noted that it may also be ofthe three (or more) pad type similar to the showing of the first form ofthe invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 or the slight modificationthereof illustrated in FIGS. 79.

Incidentally, it should be noted that, while the recess means, such asthe exemplary ones of the first form of the invention shown at 24R and27R, are illustrated as being shaped in a manner suitable for thereception of avocados, pears, or the like, the shapes thereof may bemodified for appropriate reception of various other kinds of fruits orperishable food objects or various other kinds of easily damagednon-food objects, and this may be readily accomplished. by changing theappropriate mold portion.

Incidentally, it should be noted that in the preferred arrangementsillustrated, the top and bottom compressible pad means are adapted to bemade by the same mold means and that all of the intermediate orintervening pad means, such as the exemplary one shown at 22M in thefirst form of the invention, are identical, with the exception of theslight modification thereof shown at 22M in FIGS. 7 and 9, and, thus,container means comprising any desired number of such compressible padmeans may be formed from similar compressible pad means made from thefew mold means just referred to, which has the effect of greatlyreducing the cost of such composite container means.

The various forms of the invention described in detail hereinbefore may,in certain instances, rely upon the fastening and locking means forproviding for proper alignment and registration of the plurality ofcompressible pad means rather than upon the specific male and femaleelements, such as shown at 29M and 29F in the first form of theinvention, for example, of said alignment and registration means, suchas shown at 29 in the first form of the invention, for example. Undersuch circumstances, the fastening and locking means, such as generallydesig nated at 31 in the first form of the invention, for exam le, may,in effect, comprise the functional equivalent of such alignment andregistration means.

It should be noted that FIG. 13 illustrates a form of the invention verysimilar to that illustrated in FIG. 10, which comprises a double layerversion of the three-layer first form of the invention illustrated inFIGS. lo inclusive, and, in fact, the only difference of the FIG. 13form therefrom is the different type of fastening and locking means.Therefore, reference characters similar to those employed in FIG. 10 areemployed in FIG. 13, but are followed by the letter 0, however. In thismodification, it will be noted that there are no tensile memberfastening means, such as that shown at 32' in the FIG. 10 form of theinvention, nor any grooves adapted to carry same as in the FIG. 10 formof the invention. Instead, the modified version of FIG. 13 has adifferent type of fastening and locking means, generally designated at31"a, comprising a plurality of resilient clip means, such as indicatedat 39, adapted to be resiliently and controllably removably snapped overopposite end portions of the container means, generally designated at21"a, whereby to resiliently engage opposite outside exterior surfaceportions of the upper and lower compressible pad means 22U"a and 22L"acomprising said container means 21"11.

It will be noted that each of the resilient clip means 39 may be made ofresilient plastic such as molded nylon, molded polypropylene, or variousother suitable materials or, in certain cases, may be made of metal andmay have forward end portions 41 which curve inwardly toward each otherto a very slight degree and have slightly reversed tip ends 42 wherebyto be positioned in the slightly recessed exterior surface portions 43of the exterior or outside surfaces of the compressible pad means 22U"aand 22L"a whereby to provide a very positive on gagement between theresilient clips 39 and the opposite surfaces of the container means 21"aand yet to do so in a manner which will allow the ready removal of eachof the resilient clip means 39 when desired.

Incidentally, it should be noted that any desired number of resilientclip means 33 may be employed and they may be positioned along sideedges of the container means 21 or along the ends thereof, or both ifdesired.

Also, it should be noted that the shape and configuration of theresilient clip means 39 may be modified within the broad scope of thepresent invention, and they may be provided with engageable means suchas apertures or the like, adapted to cooperate with some sort of aspreader type applicatory and/or removing tool so that said tool may beemployed for initially spreading the resilient clip means 39 into agreater than normal open relationship for snapping same over the edgeportions of the container means 21"a after which they will be released,and also adapted for later use in quickly engaging the resilient clipmeans 39 for removing same when desired. However, this is merely anoptional feature of said resilient clip means 39, which may readily bemanually engaged and disengaged if desired, and which may assume anysuitable configurations for facilitating such quick engagement anddisengagement when desired.

FIG. 14 illustrates a form of the invention very similar to thatillustrated in FIG. 13 except for the fact that the fastening andlocking means is of a different type from that illustrated in FIG. 13.Therefore, because of the similarities, corresponding parts of theinvention as illustrated in FIG. 14 are designated by referencecharacters similar to those of FIG. 13 but with bs appended thereto inlieu of the as appended to the reference characters in FIG. 13. In thismodification, the fasting and locking means designated generally at31"!) comprises a plurality of staple members 43 adapted to be firmlydriven into adjacent opposed edge portions of the plurality ofcompressible pad means, 2ZUb and 22Lb comprising the container means21"b as is clearly shown in FIG. 14, which will effectively and firmlyfasten and lock the complete container means 21!) in closedrelationship. Of course, it will be understood that the plurality ofstaple members 43 may be driven into the opposed adjacent edge portionsof the compressible pad means 22Ub and 22Lb by a conventional typestapling gun, such as is generally designated at S in phantom in FIG.14. The staples may be of the conventional metallic type or, in certainforms thereof, might be made of various other suitable materials.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate a further modification of the inventiongenerally similar to the first form of the invention shown in FIGS. 16with the exception of the fact that it is a two-layer type rather than athree-layer type, and has no middle compressible pad means in theexemplary arrangement ilustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16. In other words, itis of a two-layer type somewhat similar to the showing of FIG. 10.Therefore, similar reference characters designate corresponding parts,but are followed by the letter 0, however, to distinguish them from theearlier forms of the invention. In this modification, it will be notedthat each of the compressible pad means 22Uc and 22Lc is formed by adifferent process than the corresponding upper and lower pad means ofthe earlier form of the invention; said modified upper and lowercompressible pad means of FIGS. 15 and 16 being of a vacuum formed typewith each being formed into a configuration Cir 13 such as isillustrated wherein each has a surrounding edge flange such as isillustrated at 44 which lies in what might be considered a medial planewhen the upper and lower compressible pad means are in superimposedaligned relationship as is clearly shown in FIG. 16.

Also, each of the vacuum formed compressible pad means has bothexteriorly and interiorly formed portions comprising and defining saidpiurality of recess means portions 24Hc and Z'I'Hc. This is because ofthe nature of the vacuum forming process and of the type of articlesproduced by such a vacuum forming process.

Therefore, in order to provide a proper exterior contact surfacedefining at least portions of a flat contact surface plane so that oneor more of such container means 210 can be vertically stacked, one uponthe other, and the bottom one upon an underlying floor surface, thismodification of the invention also includes exterior contact surfacemeans, such as generally designated at 45, effectively defining portionsof such a fiat contact surface plane, two of which are indicatedsomewhat diagrammatically in broken lines at 46 in FIG. 16.

The above-mentioned exterior contact surface means 45 actually comprisevacuum formed portions of the upper and lower compressible pad means22Uc and 22Lc having completely flat outer surface parts 45F, all ofwhich lie in a common, fiat, exterior, contact surface plane such aseither one of the two shown at 46 in FIG. 16. This clearly providessufficient flat contact surface means at the bottom of the containermeans 210 to allow it to rest upon an underlying horizontal surface,such as a floor or the like, and also provides sufficient fiat contactsurface means at the top of the container means 21c to allow one or moreadditional similar container means to rest thereupon.

It should also be noted that each of the compressible pad means isprovided with what might be considered to be the equivalent of thealignment and registration means 29 of the first form of the inventionand which is generally designated by the reference character 29c in thismodification and which includes male and female portions 29Mc and 29Fcwhich are adapted to engage one another whereby to provide not onlyproper registration and alignment of the upper and lower compressiblepad means but also to provide vertical support thereto so that therewill not be any inadvertent collapsing of central portions of thecontainer means 210 between the outer edges thereof if a number ofadditional container means rest thereupon so that a very substantialloading of the lower container means occurs. In other words, in thiscase, the alignment and registration means 290 may also be said toeffectively comprise controllably disengageable positioning and supportmeans, and it should be clearly noted that said means may be modifiedsubstantially as to number, as to position, and as to type, and thatthis is also true with respect to the previously mentioned exteriorcontact surface means 45.

The modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 may comprisetwo or more compressible pad means, although it is shown in thetwo-layer form for purposes of drawing simplicity and clarity, and itshould be understood that it may employ any of the various types offastening means referred to hereinbefore, including the belt and buckleform of the first form of the invention as perhaps best shown in FIG. 3,the modified tape type thereof as perhaps best shown in FIG. 10, orvarious equivalents thereof. However, in FIG. 17, a modified vacuumformed version of the invention similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 15and 16 is shown with a modified type of resilient clip fastenerarrangement 39:! generally similar in nearly all respects to thecorresponding resilient clip fastener means 39 illustrated in FIG. 13.Therefore, since it is so similar to the showing of FIG. 13 with respectthereto, with the compressible pad means, of course, eing of the typeshown in FIGS. 15 and 16, correspond- 1 7 ing parts are designated bysimilar reference numerals, with the letter d appended thereto, however.

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 17, but shows the staple type fastenermeans of FIG. 14 which, however, in this modification are designated bythe reference numeral 432 and which are no longer driven inwardly intothe opposed adjacent edge portions of the compressible pad means in themanner of FIG. 14, but which are driven vertically therethrough wherebyto effectively join same together as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 18.This may be done at end edges, side edges, or both, as desired orneeded. Parts of this modification of the invention corresponding tothose previously described are designated by corresponding referencenumerals, followed by the letter e, however.

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary view similar to the left portion of FIG. 17 andmerely illustrates a slightly different type of resilient clip fastenermeans 39 which is resiliently slipped over and engaged with respect tothe opposed edge flange portions 44 rather than extending inwardly tothe extent of the resilient clip fastener means 39d shown in FIG. 17.Other parts corresponding to those of the earlier forms of the inventionare designated by similar reference numerals and/or upper case letters,followed by the letter however.

FIG. 20 fragmentarily illustrates a slightly modified form of theinvention and is a view of the portion of said modified form similar inlocation to the left side of FIG. 16. Parts of this modification whichcorrespond to those of FIG. 16 are designated by similar referencenumerals and/or upper case letters, followed by the letter g, however.In this modification of the invention, each of the two upper and lowerpad means 22Ug and 22Lg have surrounding edge flange means portions 44g,which are what might be called a mating type, and which do not extendhorizontally to a substantial extent in the manner of the edge flangemeans 44 of the earlier form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 16,but extend in said horizontal direction only the width of the materialor the Wall thickness of each of said flanges 44g. This is so becausesaid flanges 44g are of an effectively male and female type adapted tomate vertically, as is clearly shown at the left side of FIG. 20, byhaving the surrounding edge flange means 44g of the lower pad means 22Lginsert upwardly into the closely outwardly adjacent and oppositely andvertically downwardly directed surrounding edge flange means 44g of theupper pad means 22Ug to an extent limited by an interior stop, abutmentor shoulder means which may comprise either the shoulder 47 or the pairof opposed shoulders indicated at 48, which actually comprise abutmentor contact means extending completely around the central portion of eachof the upper and lower pad means 22Ug and 22Lg and effectively providesa structurally strong supporting means for the entire container means21g.

Also in this modification, the outer surface parts 45Pg are shapedslightly differently from those illustrated in FIG. 16, although itshould be clearly understood that actually the surface parts 45P of FIG.16 would probably be slightly curved and have a radius at the outeredges thereof in a manner similar to the corresponding parts 45Pg ofFIG. 20.

The major difference with respect to said outer contact surface meansdefined by said surface parts 45Pg is the fact that the outer portion ofeach of the recess-defining walls 27Hg and 24Hg is adapted to beprovided with supplementary outer surface parts 49 which are alsoadapted to lie in the common contact plane 46g whereby to provide spacedouter surface contact portions across the complete upper and lowersurface of the container means 21g. The edge flanges 44g may be stapled,adhesively or cohesively joined, clipped together with resilient clipmeans, or otherwise suitably joined together.

Of course, it should be understood that the modified form of theinvention illustrated fragrnentarily in FIG.

20 may be of a multiple-layer type rather than single-layer type, asillustrated in FIG. 20, and appropriate modifications of the structurefor the inclusion of multiple layers, and equivalent in many respects tothe provision of multiple layers as shown in FIG. 2 of the first form ofthe invention, may be incorporated in this modification.

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary view similar to the left portion of FIG. 20 andmerely illustrates a very slight variation thereof, and similar partsare designated by similar reference numerals and/or upper case letters,followed by the letter h, however. In this modification it will be notedthat the two edge flange means 44h differ from the corresponding twoedge flange means 44g of FIG. 20 by being substantially horizontallydirected and in horizontal abutment with each other in a manner verysimilar to the edge flange means 44 of the form of the inventionillustrated in FIG. 16. Otherwise this modification is similar to theform of the invention illustrated in FIG. 20. The edge flanges 44h maybe stapled, adhesively or cohesively joined, clipped together withresilient clip means, or otherwise suitably joined together.

FIG. 22 illustrates a further modification of the invention, andportions similar to the earlier forms of the invention are designated bysimilar reference numerals and/or upper case letters, followed by theletter i, however. In this modification, only a single recess means 24"jis illustrated, and the complete container means 21 is illustrated ascomprising only said single recess means 24'' While this form of theinvention is well adapted for use in the single-recess versionillustrated, it should be clearly understood that it is also applicableto a multiplerecess form of the invention in the general manner of theearlier forms of the invention illustrated in the earlier figures anddescribed in detail hereinbefore.

In this exemplary form of the invention, the upper pad means 22Uj ismade of a light-transmissive plastic material so that a prospectivepurchaser or user of the protected perishable food object, or otherobject adapted to be contained within the recess means 24" may view samefrom the exterior of the complete container means 21j prior to openingsame, thus making it possible to evaluate the condition of saidperishable food object, or other easily damaged object, and also todetermine whether or not said prospective purchaser or user finds thecondition of the object satisfactory for purchase and/ or use. The lowerpad 22Lj may still be made of foam plastic material for maximizing theprotection provided by the container 21 and the upper transparent pad22Uj may be made of a transparent or semi-transparent foam plasticmaterial so as to maximize the protection provided thereby, but sincesuch foam material tends to interfere with the viewing of the protectedfood object adapted to be carried within the recess means 24"j, saidupper pad 22Uj will most usually be made of a nonfoamed plastic materialwhich is substantially transparent, thus effectively forming what mightbe called a viewing window means which, in the case of the FIG. 22 formof the invention, comprises the complete wall forming the upper half ofthe recess means 24"j and which is generally designated by the referencecharacter W. In such a form of the invention, the upper pad means 22Ujis usually substantially less compressible than when it is made of foamplastic material and thus is more properly designated as a protectivecover means, which is also designated by said reference numeral 22Uj,and it will normally be of sufiicient rigidity to provide a substantialdegree of protection to the object adapted to be carried within therecess means 24'' In the event that the object to be carried with-in therecess means 24' is a perishable food object, or the like, the edgeflange means 44 may be joined in a hermetically sealed manner, asindicated at 50. This may comprise a complete encircling heat-sealedjunction provided by conventional heat-sealing means for plasticmaterials, or may comprise adhesive, cohesive, or mechanical joiningmeans capable of providing a complete hermetical seal. Also it should benoted that the perish able food object, and the complete container means22Uj, may be suitably sterilized so that the hermetic seal 50 will beeffective for maintaining the perishable food object in perfectcondition for a long period of time. Such sterilization may beaccomplished by heat, by chemicals, by antibiotics, by radiation, byhigh-potential electrostatic fields, and by various other sterilizationmeans and/ or techniques.

FIG. 23 illustrates a very slight modification of the form of theinvention illustrated in FIG. 22, and similar parts are designated bysimilar reference numerals and/ or upper case letters, followed by theletter k, however. It will be noted that the major modification of thisform of the invention from the showing of FIG. 22 is the fact that theviewing window means Wk merely comprises a small portion of the walldefining the upper half of the recess means 24"k, with the remainder ofthe upper protective pad or cover means 22Uk being preferably made offoam plastic material in the manner of the complete lower pad means22Lk. In certain forms of the invention, the upper protective pad orcover means 22Uk may be made of one integral type and sheet of plasticmaterial including both the foamed portions and the non-foamed windowportions Wk. This is possible by forming the foamed sheet from clearpolystyrene, or the like, in selected areas other than the areas whichare intended to become the viewing window means Wk, which, therefore,will retain their non-foamed and transparent character even when therest of the sheet of polystyrene has expanded into a foamed form.

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary sectional view which is somewhat diagrammaticin nature and which has other portions of the associated and cooperatingapparatus removed for reasons of drawing simplicity and clarity. Thisview shows a typical composite lower mold means intended primarily foruse in producing, by vacuum molding, the type of upper and lowercompressible pad means illustrated in the FIG. 20 form of the invention,although it will be understood that the lower compressible pad means22Lg of FIG. 20 has had the outer offset flange portion, similar to thatshown at 44g of the upper compressible pad means 22Ug illustrated inFIG. 20, cut off. This is a very simple operation which can be performedsubsequent to the molding operation. It will be understood that thecomposite lower mold means illustrated in FIG. 24 is primarily intendedfor use in vacuum molding, and the complete mold means is generallydesignated by the reference numeral 51 and includes an outer edge moldportion generally designated at 52 (which is of rectangularconfiguration as seen in top plan view) and also includes a controllablyinterchangeable central panel mold portion, such as is generallydesignated at 53, which is adapted for use in producing the centralpanel portion of the upper and lower fonmed compressible pad means ofthe type shown at 22Ug and 22Lg in FIG. 20 and each having a desiredtype, number, and size of recess means formed therein. It will be notedthat fastening or attachment means 54 is provided for effectivelyconnecting the outer edge mold portion 52 to the central panel insertmold portion 53 so as to effectively comprise a composite functionalunitary mold means for the purposes referred to above. Said fastenermeans 54 is illustrated as comprising threaded screw means but maycomprise various kinds of dowel means, locating pin means, and the like,if desired. It will be understood that since the central insert moldpanel portion 53 can be interchanged at will, it may be modified toprovide any type of recess means which is desired. Such modification maypertain to shape, size, and/or number, which makes it possible toproduce a pad adapted to receive and carry virtually any desired easilydamaged object.

FIG. 25 illustrates a slight modification of FIG. 24 and similar partsare designated by similar reference numerals, primed, however. In thismodification, it will be noted that the outer edge mold means portion52' is provided with a height or depth modifying additional element 55which can be fastened by the'fastening means 54' thereto and to thecentral panel mold portion 53' so as to provide any desired effectiveoverall height in said edge panel outer mold portion 52' correspondingto the increased height or depth of said central panel mold portion 53'.

It should be understood that the separation plane between the outer edgemold portion 52 and the central panel mold portion 53 of FIG. 24, asindicated at 56, may be repositioned from the bottom of the curvedportion as shown in FIG. 24 either toward the right or left as desired,and this is also true of the corresponding separation plane 56 of FIG.25.

It should be noted that certain of the various different modificationand variations of the invention illustrated in different figures of thedrawing and described in detail hereinbefore are shown without anyventilation aperture means, such as the type designated at 35 in thefirst form of the invention, for example. This is done for purposes ofdrawing simplicity, and it should be clearly understood that, in certaininstances, said modifications and variations not now shown as havingsuch ventilation aperture means, may be provided with appropriateventilation aperture means, if desired. This is also true with respectto the inwardly projecting compressible mounting and spacing fingermeans 34 of the first form of the invention, which, for purposes ofvariety, are not shown in certain of the other modifications andvariations of the invention illustrated in other figures of the drawingsand described in detail hereinbefore. In other words, it should beclearly understood that said modifications and variations may beprovided with such mounting and spacing finger means, or functionallyequivalent structures, if desired.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially.equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. Protective packing apparatus, and fastener means, for easily damagedobjects, comprising: container means taking the form of at least twoclosely adjacent area-coextensive protective pad and cover means havingat least one pair of opposed mating aligned recess means portions formedtherein, said opposed mating recess means por tions cooperating witheach other to define at least one complete recess means, with saidrecess means being adapted to receive and physically protectivelysupport therein a substantially similarly shaped and sized, easilydamaged object, with said mating recess means portions being in surfacecontact with at least parts of the surface area of said easily damagedobject in a manner such as to firmly and protectively support samewithin said recess means in nested relationship with respect to theexterior of said container means, a first one of said protective pad andcover means comprising a corresponding wall portion of said containermeans, a second one of said protective pad and cover means comprising acorresponding oppositely positioned wall portion of said containermeans, said protective pad and cover means being provided withcontrollably disengageable positioning and effective support meansnormally engaging corresponding portions of the opposite protective padand cover means and effectively maintaining said protective pad andcover means in properly positioned, and supported, aligned registrationrelationship with respect to each other, with.

said mating recess means portions in said opposed recess means-definingrelationship; and fastening and locking means cooperable with saidprotective pad and cover means for firmly locking them together in saidaligned registration relationship; each of said protective pad and covermeans comprising a blank of plastic material formed from an initialsheet thereof into a configuration having a medial-plane, surroundingedge flange and having both exteriorly and interiorly formed portionscomprising and defining said recess means portions and having exteriorcontact surface means efiectively defining portions of a flat contactsurface plane, each of said protective pad and cover means being formedof a compressible expanded-cell type of foam plastic material comprisinga high-efliciency combination thermal insulation means and vibration andshock isolation means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises a plurality of resilient clip means resiliently andcontrollably removably positioned over and engaging opposite outsideexterior surface portions of said container means.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises a plurality of staple members firmly driven into,engaging, and effectively interconnecting opposed adjacent edge portionsof said plurality of protective pad and cover means comprising saidcontainer means.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of saidprotective pad and cover means has a substantially transparent viewingwindow portion in area-coextensive relationship with respect to saidrecess means portion.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of saidprotective pad and cover means has a substantially transparent viewingwindow portion in area-coextensive relationship with respect to saidrecess means portion, the other one of said protective pad and covermeans and the nonviewing window portion of said first-mentioned upperone of said protective pad and cover means effectively comprisingprotective compressible pad means.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises hermetic seal and junction means sealingly connectingadjacent surfaces of corresponding opposed edge portions of saidvertically adjacent protective pad and cover means.

7. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises a plurality of resilient clip means resiliently andcontrollably removably positioned over and engaging opposite outsideexterior surface portions of said container means.

8. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises a plurality of staple members firmly driven into,engaging, and eifectively interconnecting opposed adjacent edge portionsof said plurality of protective pad and cover means comprising saidcontainer means.

9'. A device as defined in claim 4-, wherein the other one of saidprotective pad and cover means from the one having said transparentviewing window portion, and the nonviewing window portion of saidfirst-mentioned one of said protective pad and cover means efiectivelycomprise said protective compressible pad means.

10. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises hermetic seal and junction means sealingly connectingadjacent surfaces of corresponding opposed edge portions of saidvertically adjacent protective pad and cover means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,544,389 6/1925Hall 2l7-26.5 2,020,454 11/1935 Bisbee et al 21721 2,811,246 10/1957Sloane 20645.19 3,000,528 9/1961 Kuhl et a1 217-265 3,128,933 4/1964Hohnjec 229-25 3,244,346 4/1966 Tijunelis 2292.5

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM T. DIXSON, 111., Examiner.

1. PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS, AND FASTENER MEANS, FOR EASILY DAMAGEDOBJECTS, COMPRISING: CONTAINER MEANS TAKING THE FORM OF AT LEAST TWOCLOSELY ADJACENT AREA-COEXTENSIVE PROTECTIVE PAD AND COVER MEANS HAVINGAT LEAST ONE PAIR OF OPPOSED MATING ALIGNED RECESS MEANS PORTIONS FORMEDTHEREIN, SAID OPPOSED MATING RECESS MEANS PORTIONS COOPERATING WITH EACHOTHER TO DEFINE AT LEAST ONE COMPLETE RECESS MEANS, WITH SAID RECESSMEANS BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND PHYSICALLY PROTECTIVELY SUPPORTTHEREIN A SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILARLY SHAPED AND SIZED, EASILY DAMAGEDOBJECT, WITH SAID MATING RECESS MEANS PORTIONS BEING IN SURFACE CONTACTWITH AT LEAST PARTS OF THE SURFACE AREA OF SAID EASILY DAMAGED OBJECT INA MANNER SUCH AS TO FIRMLY AND PROTECTIVELY SUPPORT SAME WITHIN SAIDRECESS MEANS IN NESTED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAIDCONTAINER MEANS, A FIRST ONE OF SAID PROTECTIVE PAD AND COVER MEANSCOMPRISING A CORRESPONDING WALL PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER MEANS, ASECOND ONE OF SAID PROTECTIVE PAD AND COVER MEANS COMPRISING ACORRESPONDING OPPOSITELY POSITIONED WALL PORTION OF SAID CONTAINERMEANS, SAID PROTECTIVE PAD AND COVER MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITHCONTROLLABLY DISENGAGEABLE POSITIONING AND EFFECTIVE SUPPORT MEANSNORMALLY ENGAGING CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF THE OPPOSITE PROTECTIVE PADAND COVER MEANS AND EFFECTIVELY MAINTAINING SAID PROTECTIVE PAD ANDCOVER MEANS IN PROPERLY POSITIONED, AND SUPPORTED, ALIGNED REGISTRATIONRELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, WITH SAID MATING RECESS MEANSPORTIONS IN SAID OPPOSED RECESS MEANS-DEFINING RELATIONSHIP; ANDFASTENING AND LOCKING MEANS COOPERABLE WITH SAID PROTECTIVE PAD ANDCOVER MEANS FOR FIRMLY LOCKING THEM TOGETHER IN SAID ALIGNEDREGISTRATION RELATIONSHIP; EACH OF SAID PROTECTIVE PAD AND COVER MEANSCOMPRISING A BLANK OF PLASTIC MATERIAL FORMED FROM AN INITIAL SHEETTHEREOF INTO A CONFIGURATION HAVING A MEDIAL-PLANE, SURROUNDING EDGEFLANGE AND HAVING BOTH EXTERIORLY AND INTERIORLY FORMED PORTIONSCOMPRISING AND DEFINING SAID RECESS MEANS PORTIONS AND HAVING EXTERIORCONTACT SURFACE MEANS EFFECTIVELY DEFINING PORTIONS OF A FLAT CONTACTSURFACE PLANE, EACH OF SAID PROTECTIVE PAD AND COVER MEANS BEING FORMEDOF A COMPRESSIBLE EXPANDED-CELL TYPE OF FOAM PLASTIC MATERIAL COMPRISINGA HIGH-EFFICIENCY COMBINATION THERMAL INSULATION MEANS AND VIBRATION ANDSHOCK ISOLATION MEANS.